The logistics of SLN commerce raiding

Eagleeye wrote:

Weird Harold wrote:Probably. A couple of wings of LACs plus one or two SD(P)s with lots of spare pods.

To block the solar system. you have to block not a ring, but a sphere from immediately outside or maybe even just inside the stellar hyperlimit - if you don't want to occupy the orbits of all planets and moons inside it. Which is the last thing you want to do, because of the often mentioned political ramifications. So, hyperlimit it is. But that's a huge volume of space to control; I'm not sure, if the RMN or its allies have the forces to do that.

That's why I suggested a couple of LAC wings. Manticoran or RHN LACss are fast enough to catch any freighter leaving from anywhere inside the hyperlimit. RMN SD(P)s are fast enough they can intercept any warships attempting to leave the system, and seeding extra pods around any SLN installations outside the star's hyperlimit effectively prevents any warships from leaving or trying to break the blockade.

FTL recon drones and fire-control means the SD(P)s don't have to hang around close to deployed pods and can relay data to CLACs to plot intercepts of traders trying to leave the hyperlimit.

Basically a situation similar to Tenth Fleet stopping (almost?) all escape from the Meyers System when Adm Gold Peak went after Verrochio.

Weird Harold wrote:
That's why I suggested a couple of LAC wings. Manticoran or RHN LACss are fast enough to catch any freighter leaving from anywhere inside the hyperlimit. RMN SD(P)s are fast enough they can intercept any warships attempting to leave the system, and seeding extra pods around any SLN installations outside the star's hyperlimit effectively prevents any warships from leaving or trying to break the blockade.

FTL recon drones and fire-control means the SD(P)s don't have to hang around close to deployed pods and can relay data to CLACs to plot intercepts of traders trying to leave the hyperlimit.

Basically a situation similar to Tenth Fleet stopping (almost?) all escape from the Meyers System when Adm Gold Peak went after Verrochio.

They've stopped all vessels trying to escape from Meyers - but here's the problem: Meyers is in the middle of nowhere, with only a strictly limited number of interstellar vessels available even at the best of times (if a SLN taskforce isn't come calling, at least. But I doubt that - aside of Crandalls fleet - any other bunch of SLN-SDs ever was out there). So, Meyers you can block. The Sol system, on the other hand, is one of the most important political, economical and military hub(s) of the discovered galaxy. There should be literally thousands of freighters, private hypercapable pleasure crafts, courier vessels, military units etc in the system at any given moment. Thats a very big herd you 've to watch over - you simply can't be sure that noboby is able to slip through your net.

Eagleeye wrote:The Sol system, on the other hand, is one of the most important political, economical and military hub(s) of the discovered galaxy. There should be literally thousands of freighters, private hypercapable pleasure crafts, courier vessels, military units etc in the system at any given moment. Thats a very big herd you 've to watch over - you simply can't be sure that noboby is able to slip through your net.

No blockade is perfect. A couple of CLACs worth of LACs plus a squadron of SD(P)s and a couple freighters worth of Apollo pods can stop a fairly large number of simultaneous escape attempts. Enough to make leaving the Sol system's hyperlimit a very high risk endeavor.

Stopping ships from coming into the system is another matter entirely. A ship dropping out of hyper a long way out and coasting ballistic into the system would be hard to detect, let alone stop. STill, no big thing if the ship can't leave again for another blockade run.

If, and it is a very big 'IF,' the GA wanted to invest the resources beyond the basics, they could flood the system with LACs, CLACs, RDs, SD(P)s and pods and make even non-hyper travel impractical.

There's no real reason for the GA to blockade the Sol system, or even just the hyperlimit. So it is just a hypothetical exercise. On that basis, the GA could blockade the system. Whether they would or should is another thought exercise altogether.

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Weird Harold wrote:

cthia wrote:What exactly is the importance of the Mars base?

About the same importance as the "Puzzle Palace" to the US military. It is where Strategy and Tactics are codified and sent out to subordinate command centers/bases.

Hyperion One, in Mars Orbit, is clearly a legitimate military target. Not necessarily a wise one, but a target worth escalating to under the right circumstances. It would effectively decapitate the SLN and stop any new orders for atrocities and provide evidence of past orders for atrocities.

See?! This is another reminder of why I don't like politics. It gets in the way of missiles. LOL

Of course, if the GA does decide to attack Sol, Hyperion One will become Hyperion Two. Sometime in the future. However, I'd expect it to be one of the heaviest defended in the light of its importance.

BE DAMNED THE DOCTRINE AND DO THE DIRTY!

cthia wrote:Of course, if the GA does decide to attack Sol, Hyperion One will become Hyperion Two. Sometime in the future. However, I'd expect it to be one of the heaviest defended in the light of its importance.

Given the SLN arrogance and its belief in itself that it is invincible, would Hyperion 1 really be that heavily defended.

Eagleeye wrote:To block the solar system. you have to block not a ring, but a sphere from immediately outside or maybe even just inside the stellar hyperlimit - if you don't want to occupy the orbits of all planets and moons inside it. Which is the last thing you want to do, because of the often mentioned political ramifications. So, hyperlimit it is. But that's a huge volume of space to control; I'm not sure, if the RMN or its allies have the forces to do that. And then there is the question, if there are military installations (or even fleet bases) outside the stellar hyperlimit, for example on the bigger moons of the gas giants. or in the orbit around them. They would need blocking forces, too ...

Put your blockade force at the L2 point of each planet. It's not in orbit about the planet but it will stay with it and the missiles can hit anything approaching the planet.

Loren Pechtel wrote:

Eagleeye wrote:To block the solar system. you have to block not a ring, but a sphere from immediately outside or maybe even just inside the stellar hyperlimit - if you don't want to occupy the orbits of all planets and moons inside it. Which is the last thing you want to do, because of the often mentioned political ramifications. So, hyperlimit it is. But that's a huge volume of space to control; I'm not sure, if the RMN or its allies have the forces to do that. And then there is the question, if there are military installations (or even fleet bases) outside the stellar hyperlimit, for example on the bigger moons of the gas giants. or in the orbit around them. They would need blocking forces, too ...

Put your blockade force at the L2 point of each planet. It's not in orbit about the planet but it will stay with it and the missiles can hit anything approaching the planet.

This notion of a blockade is quite an interesting proposition. The logistics of actually pulling this off must be staggering. It quenches some of my own thirst for applying some of the more classic strategy and tactics to the Honorverse.

I'd sure like to read the Salamander's strategy for effecting a total eclipse of Solarian movement.

But, politically, what a mess of worms this would writhe. Imagine the denizens down below. Effectively cut off from travel and feeling the Honorverse version of the Berlin Wall with the RMN's own Checkpoint Charlie. LOL

"The nerve and audacity of those phucking barbarians. I'd like to bottle their chutzpah and sell it!"

I see that LACs are being specified. What would their role be? They don't have small craft so they can't board any ships, and if they could, what would they be looking for? All they can do is say "Turn around or I will murder everybody on your ship." Any ship with a missle can do that. So, the merchant captain figures "Ok, no one is that crazy. I will continue on my very legal way." Oops, he was wrong. You start murdering innocent non-combatants in job lots, or ship lots. Other than a lot of people dying in agony, what have you accomplished? Putting pressure on the planetary government won't do any good. They have no, zero, nada, nil, control over the Navy or the conduct of the war. Aside from making sure that nobody anywhere, ever under any circumstances will ever trust you, of course. You know, those nice people from the RA are starting to sound a lot better.

Nyssa wrote:I see that LACs are being specified. What would their role be? They don't have small craft so they can't board any ships, and if they could, what would they be looking for? All they can do is say "Turn around or I will murder everybody on your ship." Any ship with a missle can do that. ...

Shrike or Cimeterre class LACs, with spinal graser or laser, are far more precise than a laser warhead or contact missile. The should easily be able to disable a merchant ship instead of destroying it. Abigail managed to do it with just a Pinnace's lasers in SoS.

Most importantly, a wing of LACs can be in 16-20 different places at once and can outrun any blockade runners in its zone of blockade. A CLAC can be in 101 different places and supply boarding parties when required for search and rescue.